The present invention generally relates to a system and a method for securing and/or for aligning a device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and a method for securing and/or for aligning a portable electronic device (hereinafter “the device”), such as, for example, a camera, a camcorder, a digital camera, a digital music player, a video game, a digital video player, a digital video recorder, a personal data assistant (hereinafter “a PDA”), a cellular telephone and/or the like. The system and the method for securing and/or for aligning the device may be used to prevent theft of and/or to prevent destruction of the device. The system and the method may secure the device to a fixture for displaying by a retailer, a wholesaler and/or the like.
The system and the method for securing and/or for aligning the device may have a retracting reel with a cable for attaching the device to the fixture. The system may have a housing with an opening and/or a slit for aligning the device with respect to the reel, the housing and/or the fixture. The cable may extend outward with respect to the reel and/or may extend through the housing via the slit and/or the opening. The system may have a connector for attaching the cable and/or the reel to the device. The housing may have a recession which may be sized to receive the connector for aligning the device with respect to the housing. As a result, the connector and/or the device may be centered with respect to the housing and/or the reel. One or more fasteners may connect, may secure and/or may attach the device to the connector and/or the housing to an exterior surface of the fixture. A first side of the connector may have an adhesive for attaching and/or for connecting the device to the connector.
It is generally known, for example, that vendors, retailers and/or wholesalers may display a device to a customer at, for example, a retail store and/or sales facility. The device may be a portable device, such as, for example, a camera, a digital camera, a digital media player, a portable compact disc player, a PDA and/or a cellular telephone. The device is traditionally displayed in conjunction with a fixture, such as, for example, a cabinet, a table, a wall, a column, a shelf and/or the like. A cable attaches and/or secures the device to the fixture.
The device is often fixed and/or secured to an exterior surface of the fixture, and the cable attaching the device to the fixture has a length which is not adjustable. Accordingly, the customer and/or the user may not be able to pick up and/or to move the device to examine the device, such as, to examine various characteristics of the device, such as, for example, the weight, the texture, the feel, the configuration of the device and/or the like. A longer cable incorporated with the device and/or the fixture allows the customer and/or the user to examine the device. However, the longer cable is impractical and/or tangles with other cables and/or the device or other devices.
A connector attaches and/or affixes the device to the cable. Traditionally, a housing is attached to an exterior surface of the fixture for displaying the device on the exterior surface of the fixture. The device may be displayed in conjunction with the housing on the exterior surface of the fixture. A customer may remove the device from the housing to examine the characteristics of the device with the device remaining secured to the fixture via the cable. After examining the characteristics of the device, the user may return the device to the housing and/or the exterior surface of the fixture. However, the device and/or the cable may be misaligned with respect to the housing and/or the fixture. As a result, the device may separate from the housing and/or may be damaged from misalignment with the housing. Further, the housing and/or the cable may be damaged and/or may be destroyed by misalignment of the device with respect to the housing and/or the fixture. Moreover, the connector attaching the device to the cable may be separated from the device. As a result, the device may be damaged, may be destroyed and/or may be stolen by the customer and/or the user.
A need, therefore, exists for a system and a method for securing and/or for aligning a device which may be displayed in conjunction with an exterior surface of a fixture. Additionally, a need exists for a system and a method for securing and/or for aligning the device which may provide a retractable reel with a cable for removing the device from the exterior surface of the fixture for examination and/or the like. Further, a need exists for a system and a method for securing and/or for aligning the device which may provide a housing having an opening and/or a slit for attaching to the exterior surface of the fixture. The housing may display, may receive and/or may secure the device, a cable and/or a connector to the fixture and/or the retractable reel. Still further, a need exists for a system and a method for securing and/or for aligning the device which may provide a recession in the housing sized to receive the connector for displaying and/or for securing the device and/or the connector to the housing and/or exterior surface of the fixture. Moreover, a need exists for a system and a method for securing and/or for aligning the device which may provide one or more fasteners for attaching and/or for connecting the device to the connector and/or the housing to the exterior surface of the fixture. Furthermore, a need exists for a system and a method for securing and/or for aligning the device which may provide an adhesive on a side of the connector for securing, for connecting and/or for attaching the device to the connector.